Presently the world needs heroes. The world also needs more chivalry. In an age of increasing violence, neglect, ignorance & misdeeds we need chivalric reform more than ever! Know someone who has performed great acts of chivalry? Want the world to know of their deeds? Email Friar Jack with the details and a picture of the noble lord or lady.

What Is Chivalry?

chivalry-noun 1: mounted men-at-arms

2 archaic a: martial valour b: knightly skill

3: gallant or distinguished gentlemen

4: the system, spirit, or customs of medieval knighthood

5: the qualities of the ideal knight: chivalrous conduct

Chivalry is dead. You hear that a lot and by all accounts in today’s world you witness things that lend credibility to that statement. This is not at all a far cry from what would have been held as common belief in the middle ages. Chivalry in the middle ages was an ideal that a good man at arms would aspire to live up to. We generally assume that the laws of chivalry were more prevalent among the nobility and usually only to those of equal or greater rank, though we have evidence of chivalric deeds being performed by nobility to those of lesser rank and even of common folk acting chivalrous. Fundamentally, it is not at all that different from today.

Chivalry itself had many tenets, the most commonly recognized being; Prowess, Strength, Courtesy, Faith, Charity, Generosity or Largesse, Courage, Justice, Nobility, Defence, Humility, Loyalty and Franchise which, in chivalric terms, means leading by example.

This day I offer a challenge to all worthy folk. Show the world that chivalry is not dead. Perform one or more of these acts of chivalry every day, strive to live up to these noble ideals:

Prowess: Whatever you endeavour to do, do it well and with the best ability you possess. Strive to improve that ability in your at every opportunity. Show your discipline and then share it to help others become as skilled as you are. Two skilled people working as a team are better than one person of equal skill working alone.

Courtesy: Remember to be polite and helpful to everyone you come across; yes even to those who make you mad. Now there is a worthy challenge! Try to remember to be courteous to your loved ones too. Often we neglect the ones dearest to us because we take them for granted.

Strength: Be strong in your convictions. Be strong in standing up for what you believe and show the world your strength in chivalric virtue. The greatest strength comes from within and from those close to you. Muscles don’t mean a thing without strength of will and spirit.

Charity: Perform selfless acts of kindness. Find a good charity and donate time, money, goods or services. There are people out there always worse off than you or I and one just never knows when you’ll need a kind soul to perform a charitable act for you. You reap what you sow.

Largesse: Why not buy someone a gift outside of some special occasion, holiday or festive time? Think about the things you buy yourself and then think of the last time you surprised someone with something as simple as a card. Why wait for birthdays, Christmas or weddings? Give a friend or family member a gift out of the blue. Buy them a meal or take them to a movie. Show your generosity and prove that people mean more to you than property or possessions.

These are just five virtues of chivalry that I challenge you to undertake. Feel free to do more. It was Sir Geofroi de Charny, chevalier of France and bearer of the sacred Oriflamme and author of the 14thC Book of Chivalry who said, “He who does more is most worthy”.

Rise up to these challenges and perhaps someday our paths may cross on our emprise.

Salut,

Sir Justyn.